What is nature exposure? What does biodiversity mean?
Biodiversity covers the whole range of life: the habitats, species and genes present in a given area. Nature exposure means physical contact with that diversity – and especially with the microscopic part of it, which holds an enormous range of different microbes.
Why is regular nature exposure worthwhile?
The role of nature exposure in wellbeing has been studied. Spending time in nature and in green surroundings has been found to produce a number of favourable effects, such as a lower heart rate and lower stress levels.
Is a walk in the park once a week enough?
There is no official definition of sufficient nature exposure, but even short periods spent outdoors have been found to matter for mental wellbeing. Broadly speaking, even a little nature exposure is worth having – though we would recommend making it regular, even daily.
How does a city differ from the countryside and from natural surroundings?
A city differs from the countryside and from natural surroundings in several ways. Natural environments are mosaics of small habitats that support an enormous number of species – from animals and plants down to the tiniest microbes. Cities offer fewer opportunities for a diverse community of organisms to form, and only a few species thrive there.
What kind of biodiversity is good for us?
Nature offers us many things; a beautiful landscape and animals help us settle and enjoy being outdoors. Large-scale diversity is easy to see with the naked eye, but the microscopic organisms – the microbes – matter to our bodies even though we cannot see them. Both levels of diversity depend on each other and both matter to us.
How do I get more nature exposure into a busy life?
Modern busyness and heavy urbanisation may be part of why we are not in contact with nature often enough. You can add nature exposure through gardening, for example, or simply by spending time in forests and green surroundings on a regular basis.
Can you get too much nature exposure?
On current understanding there is no such thing as an overdose of nature exposure. Our bodies are used to being in constant contact with a diverse environment – and that kind of contact is often not possible in an urbanised, hygienic way of living.
I have heard microbes can be dangerous. How do I make sure my nature exposure is safe?
Soil also contains pathogens, so it is important to keep your tetanus vaccination up to date if you handle soil. It is also important to cover any wounds.
